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Word of Mouth: Cartouche

2007_04_30-Cartouche.jpgCartouche [kr too sh] n. Circle of greaseproof parchment used to cover a dish while poaching or simmering.

Poaching is a quick way to cook certain cuts of meat - especially fish and poultry. It usually involves cooking the food in a small amount of sauce or liquid, often covered by a cartouche. The cartouche serves two purposes: it keeps the small amount of liquid in a poached dish from evaporating too quickly, and it prevents that unpleasant skin from forming on the top of a sauce.

Here's how to make a cartouche, and some tips for its use in poaching.

Comments (4)

ooo, useful info!

posted by guido on 2007-04-30 09:31:21
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Why this rather than a lid? That looks like a potential fire, with the paper right near the open flame!

posted by Pixie on 2007-04-30 10:00:07
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Pixie, I've used it on a baked item called a panade but . . .
Parchment doesn't make a complete seal, so it lets out some heat/moisture. Probably more about the heat, come to think of it . . . when you put a cast iron lid on a cast iron pot, the heat builds up significantly, but not so with parchment paper.

It sits inside the vessel instead of open to flame.

posted by guido on 2007-04-30 11:17:53
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...plus, when it comes to professional kitchens (where these tend to be used more commonly) this is pretty low on the list of potential fire hazards. Comparatively speaking. :-)

posted by faith on 2007-04-30 11:39:52
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